European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 24, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday april 24, 1994 sports the stars and stripes Page 33 celtics Triumph harms push for top seed the Chicago bulls had the inside track to the top seed and the Home court advantage in the Eastern con Ference playoffs. All they had to do was win their last two games at Home. But the bulls could t even manage the first half of the task losing 104-94 in double overtime Friday night to the Boston celtics who won t be in the playoffs forthe first time since 1979. While the bulls can still win the Central division if they defeat new York and Atlanta loses to Orlando inthe season finale Chicana can t win the top seed Fig Pysk Hilt Tion in the East because the kicks have a better record against playoff teams in the conference the third Aba tiebreaker. The Hawks bulls and kicks can finish in a three Way tie but the league s three Way tiebreaker rules Donot apply because the teams Are in different divisions. Chicago made Only 38 of 99 Field goal attempts prompting Scottie Pippen who scored 30 Points to say we lost it on shooting. And we could t come up wit the Loose balls. I m a Little fatigued. I think we All  the bulls loss opened the door for new York which romped 125-85 at Milwaukee a the kicks heeded Only for Atlanta to lose to Orlando today to Clinch the top spot in the conference if that happens the kicks bulls game at Chicago is meaner Giess As far As new York s playoff position is concerned. Dee Brown scored 40 Points and Robert Parish playing in perhaps his next to last Aba game scored nine in the second overtime for the celtics. The coaching staff Felt sorry for me. I was 1-for whatever in regulation and the first verime. They had sympathy for me. They told me sooner or later i was going to make one Parish said. The 40-year-old Center said he did t think the bulls were looking ahead to their game with the kicks on 1 p sunday. Quarter giving the suns an 83-64 Lead. Start of the third the clippers closed the deficit to 95-87 with 3 52 to of but Phoenix managed to Lead 104-90 after three quarters. Loy Vaught scored 29 Points for los Angeles. . Green led the suns to a 43-33 rebounding Edge pulling Down 16 to go with his 19 Points. Supersonics 94, spurs 87 Ricky Pierce scored 26 Points and Sam Perkins had 13 of his 17 in the fourth Quarter for Seattle. Led by Tierce s 10-for-14 shooting in 24 minutes the 49-11, an sonic the sonics completed a four game sweep of the season series with san Antonio which faces Utah in the first round. David Robinson had 29 Points and 16 rebounds forthe visiting spurs. Jazz 113, nuggets 106 Karl Malone scored a season High 38 Points including 28 in the second half As Utah clinched the fifth playoff spot in the Western conference by beating Denver. They did t take us for granted Parish said and we approached it professionally. We did t go through in other games fridays Pat Riley won his 700th game As an Aba coach arid new York enhanced its playoff position. Patrick Ewing scored 22 Points for the visiting kicks who pulled into a tie for the Best record in the Eastern conference with Idle Atlanta. Riley who won four Aba titles with the los Angeles lakers has a 700-272 regular season record in 12 sea sons As a head coach. The Bucks were led by Eric Murdock who scored 15 posts before being ejected inthe thirdperiod7- suns 127, clippers 121 Phoenix clinched the third seed in the West with its Victory at Home against los Angeles and san Antonio s Ibss-atseattle.-. .1 the visiting Fazz took the Lead for Good at 94-92 on Malone s Basket with 7 46 remaining. Jeff Hornacek who scored 19 Points sealed the Victory with a shot that gave Utah a 106-97 Lead with 3 20 to play. Denver was led by Mahmoud Abdul Rauf with 31 Points and Bryant Stith with 21. Abdul Rauf was 2 for 2at the free throw line making him 218 of 227 this sea son for a .960 percentage. The Aba record is .958 by Houston s Calvin Murphy in the 1980-81 season and the nuggets have jus Lone game remaining. Mavericks 107, rockets 95 Jamal Mashburn scored 28 Points and Jim Jackson 22 As bites def gated visit tag Houston which played without Center Hakeem Olajuwon and guard Vernon Maxwell because of injuries that Aren t expected to keep them out of the playoffs. Olajuwon did t make the trip because of a bruised right nip and Maxwell stayed on the Bench due to a sprained right ankle. The rockets who got 19 Points each from Otis Thorpe and Kenny Smith Are locked into the no. 2 spot in the Western playoffs. A the Mavericks 12-69trying to void becoming the first team to have consecutive 70-loss seasons Complete the season sunday at Home against Minnesota. Pacers 133,76ers 88 Rik Smits scored a career High 40 Points As Indiana won its seventh straight game. The pacers tied for fifth place with Cleye Landon the Eastern conference handed the visiting 76ers their 27th loss in 31 games. Just 24 hours after losing by 48 Points to new York Philadelphia fell by 45 to the pacers who Matchet their own Aba Mark for margin of Victory a 131-86 win Over the kicks in 1980. Dan Majerle scored 24 Points including a steal and Greg Graham topped Philadelphia with 15 Points. Kicks Patrick Ewing Battles backs Derek Stan Center for a rebound. At left is Charles Oadey Trail blazers 118, Timber wolves 103 Cliff Robinson and Clyde Draxier scored 28 Points each for Portland in what might have been the final Aba game in Minnesota. Isaiah rider scored 25 Points for the  owners Are threatening to sett to a group that would move the team to Nashville Tenn unless acre is a Public takeover of Money losing target Center. Minnesota which takes a nine game losing Streak into sunday s finale at Dallas had 24 turnovers in fas ing for the 14th time in 15 games. Cavaliers 117, bullets 96 Tyrone Hill scored 20 Points on 8-for-8 shooting seven of his Cleveland teammates also reached d figures against Washington. The Cavaliers Are in a race with Indiana for the Fiffy Mcseed in the Eastern conference playoffs although the pacers would win a tiebreaker. The fifth seed Walt play fourth seeded Orlando in the first round the bullets have Tost seven straight games at Rich Field coliseum which the cars will leave after this sea son. Tom Gugliotta led Washington with 25 Points and12 rebounds. 6 Navy football players face expulsion by Bill Bru Baker the Washington Post Annapolis my. Six members of the naval Academy s 1993 varsity football team Are among the 26 midshipmen who have been recommended for exp i Sinfor their alleged involvement in the 1992 cheating scandal according to two sources close to the athletes. The athletes include Frfoot-5, 300 told Navy investigators last year they had no involvement in the scandal. But they confirmed in interviews this week they have been recommended for separation for alleged involvement in the scandal the biggest in the facade All sports were involved in the scandal Padgett said i would say categorically it was not  Padgett did not reveal How Many football players were involved and a Navy spokesman said Friday we can not breakdown the number by  the expulsion recommendation shave been sent to Navy Secretary John h Dalton who could make a final Deci probable selection in sunday and Mon Day s National football league draft Navy co Captain Javier Zuluaga and linebacker Lewis Sims. Three other football players named by the sources could not be reached for comment to confirm they have been recommended for expulsion. Lane Zuluaga and Sims said they on monday Navy commandant John b. Padgett sought to downplay involve ment of athletes in the scandal in an address to the Academy s civilian Board of visitors a 15-member advisory commit tee composed of White House appointees and members of Congress. Concerning rumours that a disproportionate number of varsity athletes from football players appear to have been disproportionately involved in the scan dal which involved an electrical Engi. Neering exam for 663 juniors on dec. 14, 1992. Less than 2 percent of the Academy s 4,200 students Are varsity football players. But based on information from the two sources 23 percent of the midshipmen recommended for separation six out of the 26 played varsity football last season. It was All dumped on the football team said Zuluaga who like Lane has left the Academy. I was totally  Lane Zuluaga and Sims said they have been ordered to repay the Nav for the Cost of their education fees that Range from $54,500 Sims to More than $70,000 Lane and Zuluaga. Midshipmen sign agreements at the be ginning of their Junior Yean to repay the government if they voluntarily  and Sims Saia they have appealed the severity of the repayment order. That s a lot of dough said Lane who is considered Navy s Only sure firs nil Prospect. Lane said he was visited this week by representatives of the washing ton redskins new England Patricia in i Seattle sea Hawks. Zuluaga a linebacker said he Haces tory out for the expansion Bol Timuri Cal Colts of the Canadian football league